My family and I recently found a place in Kansas City that’s all about wide open spaces and a quiet stroll, and history mixed with nature: Shoal Creek Living History Museum.

Shoal Creek Living History Museum is in Kansas City, Missouri.

We visited this new-to-us place during a super fun weekend trip and it was a welcome change from the go-go-go adventures we’d had the day before at Worlds of Fun.

What’s Shoal Creek Living History Museum

Located on 80 acres within Hodge Park in Northern Kansas City, Shoal Creek Living History Museum is a FREE attractions takes families on a walk through Missouri’s past as told through architecture.

Farley loved taking pictures of the buildings at Shoal Creek. I may be raising a mini blogger.

Grab a brochure at the entrance to learn a bit more about the buildings on the grounds: There are 21 structures, 17 of which are authentic buildings dating from 1807-1885.

Some of the more interesting structures included the Blacksmith barn built in the 1800s and was originally on a farm next to Hodge Park; the 1868 City Hall and Jail; and the 1880 Eldorado School. There’s also a carpenter shop, doctor’s office, church and several homes that I imagine are interesting to visit during re-enactment events.

On a regular day, you won’t find any re-enactors at Shoal Creek Living History Museum. Plan to visit during a special event to see sites like the blacksmith barn come to life.

Just a handful of people were there when we visited.

Given the wide-open feel of it, it felt like we had the place to ourselves.

What we liked about Shoal Creek

I loved the space it provided for the kids to run, but even more so, I liked how relaxing it was.

Shoal Creek Living History Museum is a photogenic place.

My favorite building was the Grist Mill. It’s the first thing that caught my eye and it just stood out from the rest of the buildings. It’s actually the lone structure there that was built on site and is a replica of an 1824 mill. Figures.

The kids?

They loved the American Bison herd kept on the land.

Bison at Shoal Creek Living History Museum in Kansas City.

While they did seem pretty peaceful, one reminded us that they are still wild animals.

It charged the fence. Even standing back a few feet from the fence didn’t feel like a good idea.

Thank goodness for zoom lenses. The one on the right was headed our way.

Perhaps a lesson learned here: Stand further back from the fence.

American Bison herd at Shoal Creek Living History Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

Special Events At Shoal Creek

On a given day, there isn’t programming in place, and you can only see the buildings from the outside.

Re-enactors are at special events throughout the year at Shoal Creek Living History Museum, helping bring history to life for visiting families.

But there are special events throughout the year where you may find re-enactors and perhaps enter some of the buildings.

2018 Events

* Always check ahead of your visit to make sure an event is still happening. Things can be rescheduled!

First Saturdays – June 2, July 7, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. FREE family fun event with re-enactors bring the village to life with skits and shootouts throughout the day, food and craft vendors, family activities and demonstrations, and shop at the mercantile. Some activities may charge for their services, cash only.

22nd Annual Visit From St. Nicholas – Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5 per person, FREE for ages 5 and younger. Homes will be decorated and e-enactors will bring 19th century Christmas to life. Take a brief horse drawn sleigh ride through the countryside from noon to 4 p.m.

There’s no shortage of hotel options in Kansas City – I’ve tried many of them. Our last couple of overnight stays have been at the Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center. We’ve stayed there for a Radiohead concert at the Sprint Center; and this time around, we stayed there because it was centrally located near several of the family-friendly attractions we planned on seeing.

Disclosure: Our stay in Kansas City was hosted by the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Bureau. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.

Our most recent stay at the Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center was in December – how’s that for holiday decorations?

And by centrally-located, I mean we could walk to them! How’s that for convenience? Park once and see it all.

What’s At The Sheraton Hotel

The top floor of the tower is the lounge for Starwood Preferred Guests. If you are one, you can enjoy complimentary continental breakfast with a view.

…which my kids ignored because, TV!

Seriously, kids, avert your eyes from the TV for one second.

There are a couple other dining options there, including a bar & grill kind of restaurant and a cafe.

The hotel is designed for large gatherings and meetings, so several floors are taken up by those spaces. It’s kinda awkward taking the elevator down from the tower with all the rooms, scrambling across the mezzanine to find the other elevator that will take you to the pool area. Pack a good swimsuit cover, is all I have to say about that.

Speaking of the pool. You guys. It’s a heated roof-top pool.

Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center’s rooftop pool. It was an unusually warm December weekend for us – no snow!

So you could be swimming in the middle of a snow storm, if things timed out right. Or a rain shower, as was the case for us.

In case you’re wondering, it’s not that heated (by my wimpy standards). While my crazy family swam in the December rain, I was in the hot tub, thank you very much.

The short tunnel amused the kids too.

OK, I’ll admit, the tunnel was fun for me to swim through too.

You can order food to be delivered to the pool area, which sounds like a good idea if it’s summer and you’re in the mood to lounge around all afternoon.

The rooms are pretty comfy – we had two double beds. We lucked out with a partial view of Crown Center and the Ice Terrace skating rink. It’s a charming scene at nighttime.

Attractions Near The Sheraton

Sheraton is connected to being connected to Crown Center and Union Station attractions by the climate-controlled Link system.

Sheraton Crown Center is an easy walk from Crown Center attractions thanks to the Link system over the streets.

Use it! Parking can get pricey, so if you just pay for your hotel parking ($17-$24/day), you can go to attractions like SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium, LEGO Discovery Land and Science City.

Here’s a roundup of what’s walkable from the Sheraton – walking with two kids under 7, with a pit stop for lunch at Crown Center.

Restaurants

One of the best breakfasts I had in KC was at the Blue Bird Bistro, a little more than a mile from the hotel. Another good and quirky choice for breakfast is You Say Tomato, also a little more than a mile from the Sheraton.

You’ll find a handful of restaurants at Crown Center, which is a mix of chains like Panera and unique kid-friendly spots like Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant and, on the other end of the spectrum, the upscale The American. I know people who swear by Fritz’s – it’s where the model train delivers your food to the table. Personally, the food was not worth the wait to me, but yes, the kids loved it.

Union Station has a couple restaurant choices, including Harvey’s at Union Station (I hear brunch is good there). Jack Stack BBQ has a location that’s near Union Station and I’d recommend it.

If you head to Crossroads Arts District, you’ll find some unique places to eat including Lidia’s KC (if you’re a big PBS fan, you know who she is). The Sundry and Cafe Gratitude were recommended to me, but I don’t know if any of those are kid-friendly. When it was just me and Mr. Wonderful in Kansas City, Crossroads was a fun place to visit, and if we get another couples-only vacation to KC, we’ll go back there.

Kansas City has all the makings for a family vacation: Kid-friendly attractions, great restaurants and convenient hotels.

On a recent trip with our kids, ages 4 and 6, we discovered some new favorites that we will certainly revisit the next time we’re in the area. Our winter trip was jointly hosted by Visit KC and Visit Overland Park.

The trip was so memorable, my 4-year-old daughter has taken to say “I love you to Kansas City and back,” in place of the silly old moon.

Here are some of the highlights you’ll want to check out the next time you’re in KC with kids (any time of the year!).

So fun they don’t realize they’re learning

The Museum at Prairiefire in Overland Park, Kan.

One of the first stops on our trip was the Museum at Prairiefire in Overland Park, Kan. There’s a fun interactive screen in the lobby that you’ll be attempted to play with – you can create a dinosaur or dragon and then see it on the screen. Try to bypass it to explore later on because you’ll want to head straight to the Discovery Room upstairs (after paying admission, of course).

Kids can explore paleontology, anthropology, animals and more while at the Discovery Room.

We could spent a few hours in this room! Divided into different areas of science, kids learn through play and hands-on exhibits. Website

The other place my kids loved so much they made us promise we’ll return the next time we go to KC was Science City at Union Station.

Science City inside Union Station in downtown Kansas City

There are so many interesting and fun areas to play in, you’ll spend a lot of time trying to keep up with your kids. Best naps ever after visiting Science City! Website

Free for all

When you go to KC with kids, keep in mind that there are so many kid-friendly places with FREE activities, and apparently so do the masses. They’re crowded, so there’s the drawback. But the fun usually trumps any crowd factor, in my opinion.

On our trip, we stopped by City Market – which has a year-round farmers market (heated and indoors in the winter). We went specifically for the Whoville experience at Christmas time, but you can extend your stay to visit the FREE Steamboat Arabia museum and shops. Website

We stopped by Crown Center District twice during our weekend trip, since our hotel was so near it. I love the outdoor area there, especially at Christmas time.

Playing at night in front of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree at Crown Center.

It’s lit up spectacularly, and the kids enjoyed climbing on all the wooden structures set up around the Christmas tree (they’re not there year-round). We meant to visit Kaleidoscope, Hallmark’s FREE art-making area at Crown Center, and the gingerbread house display but nap time prevailed. Not free, but also nudged out by nap time and unseasonably warm weather was the Ice Terrace, an outdoor ice skating rink. Website

My preschooler said the ride on the Holiday Dazzle trolley was among her favorite parts of the trip.

A new Christmas-time-only thing going on in Kansas City is Downtown Dazzle, held on weekends in December. You can ride a FREE, decked out trolley to several downtown attractions like Crown Center and Power & Light District. Some stops have cute things set up like huge snow globes you can get in for a great photo opp. The kids loved the trolley for like first leg of the ride, but then we got stuck in basketball traffic and things went downhill from there. Still, my daughter said it was one of her favorite things about KC. Website

Overland Park held its own in this category. We watched Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane at the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, and it was one of Mooch’s favorite things over all (OK, she has a lot of favorites, she’s 4). I’d like to return in warmer weather to explore the farmstead in daylight. Website

Did someone say shopping?

I did not shop nearly as much as I intended to – this was going to be prime Christmas present shopping time. But my kids don’t think shopping is fun, so there you go.

LEGOs, LEGOs, as far as the eye can see.

One of the places we visited that I found myself gazing longingly into storefront windows include Oak Park Mall in Overland Park (if you’re shopping for kids – definitely check out the LEGO Store, American Girls store and the Disney Store there). Website

There’s a carousel in the middle of the mall where you can park your kids for a little bit.

The two-story carousel at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kan.

For the younger set, there’s a play area.

Of course, almost everyone in Omaha seems programmed to head straight to the Country Club Plaza to shop. That’s for good reason, you can find all sorts of high end stores there, as well as popular chains like Gap, Apple and White House/Black Market. Website

Want to buy some unique gifts? I think the City Market and surrounding streets is a good spot. You can buy food and spices from around the world, or on the weekends, head to the farmers market to buy locally-made goods from crafts and home décor to soaps.

While Mr. Wonderful walked around – buying some local wine and flowers at the market – I waited in line with the kids so they could ride the mini train. For $2, I captured the biggest smiles of the trip because of that little ride! Website

This smile says “I got a free sucker on this train, Mom…Ha!”

Good sleeps

If you’re planning most of your trip to be in downtown Kansas City, the hotels around Crown Center are smart choices, particularly in the winter. They’re connected to major attractions by the Link, a series of enclosed, elevated walkways.

Sheraton Crown Center is an easy walk from Crown Center attractions thanks to the Link system over the streets.

We stayed at Sheraton at Crown Center and enjoyed using the tunnels to get to Crown Center, and further afield, Union Station. It totally beat driving and parking, or walking (it rained one of the days we were there).

Another highlight of the Sheraton was its rooftop pool, which is heated and open year-round. The little tunnel was a kid favorite.

Sheraton Crown Center’s rooftop pool.

And if you’re a Starwood Preferred Guest, you have to check out the Club Lounge at the top floor of the hotel. Go for the view and/or the breakfast buffet. It’s heartier than they suggest when they called it a “continental breakfast.” Website

South of downtown Kansas City is Overland Park, a more suburban area. The DoubleTree Hotel is located a short distance from the interstate, and nicely located between some of our favorite parts of town – the Museum at Prairiefire, Oak Park Mall and Deanna Rose Farmstead. The highlight for my kids was the pool. As usual.

The DoubleTree pool, AKA, the best part of the hotel according to my kids.

We had two connecting rooms there and it opened my eyes to a whole other way of travel with kids (king-size bed in one room, two doubles in the other). Mr. Wonderful and I agreed this was the way to go from here on out.

Service at both hotels was top notch and super friendly, especially at the DoubleTree where I left with a smile because so many people made us feel so welcomed.

If you are a Hilton Honors member, you probably will get breakfast included with your stay. The buffet was great, but what made it stand out was the chef cooking the made-to-order eggs. He knew how to make an omelet just right (not too dry). Website

Good eats

I had grand plans for dining in Kansas City – lots of barbecue, maybe a gastropub, a stop at popular breakfast joint. There are so many great places to eat and Instagramming to be done.

But travel with kids doesn’t always go as planned. Mornings were spent in the pool followed by the hotel’s breakfast instead of my quaint breakfast joint, but that’s just how it goes. Not to bash hotel breakfasts, I’m just a weirdo who seeks out the top breakfast restaurant in most cities.

The most memorable meal for the whole family was barbecue, naturally. We met up with family at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que in Leawood (not the original in a gas station, but it was closest to our hotel in Overland Park). It was smack-the-table good, especially the Z-Man Sandwich. Website

We dined a few times at Crown Center, given its proximity to the Sheraton and some of the activities we had planned. I wish I could say they were great picks, but I was disappointed with the service at both restaurants and the dessert place.

If you’re an adventurous eater, try the Ethiopian restaurant Blue Nile Cafe at the City Market in Kansas City. You’ll love the flavors.

One of my favorite meals, but certainly not for my kids, was the Ethiopian restaurant at City Market, Blue Nile Cafe. I nabbed a great Groupon for a meal for four and my kids absolutely refused to admit they liked any of it. Typical. Website

Want to read more stories about Kansas City with a family-friendly focus? Check these out:

Kansas City’s Crown Center attracts visitors for a number of reasons: FREE activities, kid-friendly attractions, shops and restaurants. We’ve visited Crown Center several times and still have yet to see all there is – it’s really Crown Center District with a ton to do.

Crown Center at Christmas time.

My family’s most recent visit was during the holidays. The visit was hosted by Visit KC.

Attractions

My kids don’t know that they haven’t been to Legoland yet. When they were little, these Lego sculptures near the food court in Crown Center sufficed.

– Fountains. The kids loved all of the fountains at Crown Center, especially the ones you can play in when the weather’s warm enough (which, of course, I didn’t get a picture of).

Checking out one of the fountains at Crown Center.

Restaurants

There are more than 15 places to dine at Crown Center Shops. We’ve dined in the area on a couple visits.

Winning for most unique concept is Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant – a model train delivers the meal to your table. It was a big hit with the kids. The menu includes hamburgers, sandwiches and fries.

Farley ponders a fry at Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant while he wears his free conductor’s hat.

We’ve also dined at Crayola Cafe and SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza.

I’m still searching for one that pleases both the grownups and the kids, honestly. You kinda feel like you have to go to Fritz’s because of the novelty, but the other two would not be ones I’d send you guys to dine.

My Family’s Favorite Crown Center Moment

Christmas at Crown Center – In 2015, the shopping center used #ShineBrightKC on its social media channels – for good reason. This place sparkles! Hello, photo opps.

One of the many nutcrackers at Crown Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Inside the shopping center, we stumbled upon carolers. We missed out on the “Charlie Brown Christmas play at The Corterie (sold out!), as well as the gingerbread houses.

The kids loved climbing on the over-sized wooden sculptures surrounding the mayor’s large Christmas tree. Due to unseasonably warm weather, we missed out on enjoying outdoor ice skating rink. I’ve had to promise them we’ll return someday to skate there.

Play time at the base of the Mayor’s Tree at Crown Center in Kansas City.

If you’re visiting Kansas City during the holidays, you should stop even if it’s just to take some pictures of the scene.

Where to stay

There are two hotels in the area, both connected to Crown Center by the Link, a covered walkway system over the streets: Sheraton and The Westin.

Our hosted visit was at the Sheraton. What a perfect place to stay with a family in Kansas City!

Sheraton Crown Center is an easy walk from Crown Center attractions thanks to the Link system over the streets.

First off, any place with a rooftop pool heated year-round is a hit with my kids. My daughter still talks about it.

The rooms are comfy and spacious, there are dining options inside the hotel and best of all, the Link system is darn handy in the winter.

The Link with the shopping mall at Crown Center in the background.

The Westin is even closer to the Crown Center action. You pass through the Westin if you’re using the Link system to get to Union Station.

Exploring Crown Center District

Beyond the shopping center area, you can find museums and attractions, including one of our new favorites, Union Station (take the kids to Science City!). Other things to see include, the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial – which has been highly recommended by several friends so it’s on my list to visit – and The Money Federal Reserve Museum (you receive a complimentary bag of shredded currency there as a souvenir – worth $165).

Crown Center Special Events

Kansas City Irish Fest – Three days of all things Celtic – music, dancing and exhibits.

WeekEnder – Friday nights in July and August, enjoy live music, outdoor movies, food trucks, artisans and more at Crown Center Square.

Other events – Antique Festival, Fiesta Kansas City and Hallmarket… and let’s not forget our favorite, Christmas at Crown Center with the Mayor’s Christmas Tree, Crayola Christmas Land and the Ice Terrace.

Want to read more stories about Kansas City with a family-friendly focus? Check these out:

My love-hate relationship with LEGOs dates only a year or two back, when my son graduated to the teeny tiny LEGOs that cause maximum pain if you step on them. But, he loves building with them so he keeps getting more.

And now my daughter is starting to dig the Duplo sets.

Did someone say LEGO?

So, it’s only natural that we had to stop at the LEGO Store during our recent visit to Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kan. Just try walking past it with young kids. You can’t.

It’s too inviting. And I swear it’s one of the first logos kids learn to spot.

It’s heaven for the builders out there, any age, any ability. And any price point. Want to build the Millennium Falcon? $300 and it’s yours. Want a mini figurine? $5 bucks and change.

The store is divided into sections, with a small area for the preschool crowd.

Building sets for the preschool crowd. My daughter’s stomping grounds.

Other areas were more themed – think “Star Wars” and … I don’t know, my son wouldn’t look at any other area, so that’s the only one I really saw.

If you don’t want a whole new set, there’s a great big wall ‘o LEGOs that you can peruse to create your own mini-figures. For $4.99 (plus tax), you can gather the pieces for your very own creature in the Pick a Model experience.

Wall ‘o LEGOs

It might just be me not knowing price points, but it seemed cheaper buying sets at this LEGO store than at big box stores.

FYI: The store has a digital screen where you can scan some special boxes for an interactive experience – you’ll see some of the sets come alive on screen. There are also store events you may want to join if you live in the area. Check out their website for more information.

We set out to Kansas City for a weekend getaway in December – three days to take in the lights, the holiday traditions and the barbecue.

One of the many nutcrackers at Crown Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Today’s post is all holiday themed – there are so many things you could do during a KC Christmas getaway! I included some nearby cities that are close enough to Kansas City to include in planning outings. I’ve also updated this list with trips we’ve taken around the holidays since this post was originally written.

Disclosure: Our visit was hosted by the fine folks at Visit KC and Visit Overland Park. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.This post may include affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I receive a small payment for referring people who click the affiliate link.

Things To Do In KC That Are Worth The Price

Kansas City has a ton of FREE things at Christmas time, which I’ll get to shortly, but like every other city, some things you have to pay for. Here’s one that’s totally worth it.

WinterFest at Worlds of Fun runs Nov. 23 through Dec. 31, 2018.

WinterFest at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo.: Worlds of Fun started a new holiday tradition in 2017 called WinterFest. Think tons of lights, lots of music, snow, and most fun of all, rides. I shared some tips to make the most of your visit here. In 2018, WinterFest runs from Nov. 23 to Dec. 31.

Ice Terrace at Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo.: There’s just something special about ice skating outdoors. The Ice Terrace is a large ice skating rink at Crown Center, and it can be a pretty popular place. There is an admission fee, plus the cost of renting your skates, but it’s kids won’t forget skating there (especially at night). In 2018, it will be open mid-November through mid-March 2019. Website

DreamWorks Ultimate Santa Adventure (Oak Park Mall, Overland Park, Kan.) – South of downtown Kansas City is the Overland Park area and its mammoth mall. This Christmas, they have a Shrek-themed Ultimate Santa Experience – it’s something best experienced than described in words. But I’ll try…

The walls off Dream Place can entertain kids for so long, you’ll think it’s a Christmas miracle.

It’s an interactive and tech-savvy experience that includes a virtual sleigh ride (complete with snowfall indoors) and pictures with Santa. (cost $35+) This is the only one in the five-state region. Website

More Ticketed Christmas experiences in Kansas City, Mo.: Among some of the Union Station attractions that cost extra are the holiday classic movies at the Extreme Screen Theatre, holiday themed shows at the planetarium, with Laser Holiday Magic shows running Nov. 17, 2018 through Jan. 9, 2019, and holiday themed events at Science City, including Science City’s Noon Year’s on Dec. 31. Theater companies and performing arts venues also produce holiday shows this time of year. We could’ve also gone to the Kansas City Zoo to see Santa Dives with Penguins or Lions & Christmas Trees.

More Ticketed Christmas experiences in Overland Park, Kan.: Every year, the paths of the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Garden are candlelit for the Luminary Walk (held in late November/early December).

Things To Do In Kansas City That Are Free

The grand lobby of Union Station would impress you any time of year, but add Christmas decorations and the sight is beautiful.

Union Station in Kansas City, Mo.: This was our first time visiting the magnificent Union Station, and it was decked out at Christmas time during “Holidays Come Alive at Union Station.” You can visit several areas for free so come by to see the huge indoor tree and the Model Train Experience, an incredible room of miniature trains (800 feet of track and counting).

Trains of all sizes are at Union Station in Kansas City. There’s even a mini train kids can ride, which travels through a Christmas-y scene.

Union Station has several events in November and December each year, and some are FREE including “KC Southern Holiday Express” Dec. 15-19 featuring a holiday train you can tour (think “Thomas the Tank Engine”; reservations required). Website

Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo.: Dazzling is the best way to describe Crown Center at Christmas time. At the center is the Mayor’s Christmas Tree. At its base is a play area of structures like cars, wagons and trains. The kids loved it.

Play time at the base of the Mayor’s Tree at Crown Center in Kansas City.

And since we were there when it was unseasonably warm, the fountains were on. The combined effect of a thousands of lights and a fountain was enchanting. Totally worth stopping by, even if you just go to get a picture.

Photo No. 114 of the 132 pictures of the we took of the Crown Center lights, give or take.

If you stop inside the shopping center, you can visit Santa’s Gingerbread Station or you might catch a choir singing, like we did. Website

City Market in Kansas City, Mo.: Every year, the City Market opens a little Whoville attraction. It’s usually open on select weekends in December. Check the City Maret calendar.

The Oh My! Omaha gang with Cindy Lou and the Grinch at City Market.

Bring a couple canned foods to donate and you can visit the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, and color some Grinch-y things like a mask and ornaments. If the weather is nice, expect a long wait to get pictures with the two characters. Website

Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Mo.: Here’s another well known spot in Kansas City that really embraces Christmas. As much as I wanted to shop here, the kids made that impossible, so we just marveled at the lights and enjoyed the street buskers strumming some holiday tunes. Website

Who knew the Downtown Dazzle trolley ride would be one of my daughter’s favorite experiences of the entire trip (ranking up there with the hotel pool).

Downtown Dazzle in Kansas City, Mo. (multiple stops): The FREE trolley ride through downtown Kansas City on the weekends, thanks to Google Fiber. It makes a couple stops at touristy areas, each with a little activity to do – like getting your picture inside a giant snow globe. We caught a ride during a KU basketball game, which wouldn’t you know, meant a massive traffic jam along our route. Website

Holiday Lights at the FarmsteadLane in Overland Park, Kan.: The Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park is a FREE farm to visit any time of the year (OK, free on during the week – $2 on the weekends and holidays), but at Christmas time, they have the exterior of the barn and surrounding trees decorated with thousands of lights that are set to music. You park your car, tune your radio to the station and watch the show. It’s interactive – you can text or tweet a color and it’s supposed to respond. It didn’t work for me, but it didn’t lessen the experience. Website

The most Christmas-y Neighborhood in America – I dubbed it that, but all of Johnson County knows it as Christmas Place, the No. 1 neighborhood to see lights (23 homes on two cul-de-sacs). We stumbled upon it on our way back to our hotel. Find it at 131st Place and Antioch in Overland Park, Kan. Get the backstory here.

Where to stay

We were lucky enough to stay at two different hotels during our visit, and both were ready for Christmas. You can book these hotels or find other family-friendly Kansas City area hotels on TripAdviser.

The festive lobby of the DoubleTree Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas.

If you’re headed to Overland Park, the DoubleTree Hotel had the most welcoming staff we’d ever had the pleasure of meeting. The lobby had several Christmas-y displays. If you have an American Girl fan – you know you’ll be making a trip to the American Girl store at Oak Park Mall when you visit – this is the place to stay, since they offer a package complete with a bed for your kid’s doll. Website

The Sheraton at Crown Center is totally decked out for the holidays. It’s quite a sight to walk into.

Sheraton at Crown Center gave the DoubleTree staff a run for their money in the friendliness department. The nice things about this location is the Link, elevated walkways connecting the hotel to Crown Center and on to Union Station. It was pretty handy when it rained during our visit and I imagine it’s heavily used in the bitter winter. Website

Our elf, Tizbee, followed us on the trip. This will probably be his only appearance in the series of posts coming up.

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Hi there, I’m Kim

I'm a mom, wife, writer & coffee addict. I love my hometown, Omaha, but cannot resist the thrill of travel. Life is best spent discovering the extraordinary at home and on the road. With any luck, I'll inspire you to think the same. Inquiries at ohmyomaha@gmail.com

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